Saturday's matchup: Notre Dame at Oklahoma

Last meeting: Notre Dame won 34-30 on Oct. 2, 1999, in South Bend, Ind.

ON THE OFFENSIVE: Everett Golson starts at QB, but the matchup turns on whether the Notre Dame line can push around Oklahoma's front. If RBs Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood have room to run, the Irish keep the Sooners offense off the field and have a shot.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: The Irish front seven, led by DE Stephon Tuitt, must get Oklahoma QB Landry Jones off his spot. He can be turnover-prone. Other QBs haven't been good enough to hit passes even with time, but Jones can dissect Notre Dame if the Irish can't apply pressure.

THE NUMBER: 32. Number of red zone scores, in 33 chances for Oklahoma in 2012.

THE TALK: Notre Dame can earn a measure of validation even without winning, and BCS hopes don't hang in the balance. But national championship dreams do. That's what's at stake in the biggest Irish game in years: A chance to turn a promising season into a magical one.

BRIAN HAMILTON'S PICK: There's a path to victory for the Irish, for sure. But the Sooners are rolling and probably find one of many ways to pin loss No. 1 on Notre Dame.